Conveyer loading mechanism



' P 1958 H. E. ENGLESON ETAL 2,832,181

Filed Oct. 23, 1956 April 29, 1958 H. E. ENGLESON ETAL 2,832,181

CONVEYER LOADING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 25, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 HARRY E. ENGLESONI ELMER D. SRAMEK ATT'YS INVENTORS.

April 1958 H. E. ENGLESON ETAL 2,832,181

CONVEYER LOADING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 23, 1956 4 Sheets-Shet 3 FIG,4 2\

} INVENTORS'. HARRY E. ENGLESON ELMER D. SRAMEK $11 M W, MrM

ATT'Y'S April 29, 1958 H. E. ENGLESON ETAL 2,832,181

CONVEYER LOADING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 23, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 7

" INVENTORS: i HARRY E. ENGLESON ELMER D. SRAMEK BY may be placed in the bucket with United States Patent 1 2,832,181 coN'vEYEn LOADING MECHANISM Harry E. Engleson, Chicago, and Elmer D. Sramek,

Cicero, Ill., assignors to F. B. Redington C0., Bellwootl,

11]., a corporation of Delaware Application October 23, 1956, Serial No. 617,829 7 Claims. (Cl. 53-476) This invention relates to machines for conveying and packaging articles of manufacture and particularly to such machines wherein the articles are to be enclosed by a peripheral band of fibrous material which is placed within a conveyer bucket, thereby facilitating the subsequent insertion of the articles into a carton.

A conveyer may comprise a plurality of especially adapted holders dimensioned to contain articles in a particular configuration. In industry, these holders are known as buckets and for the purposes of this specification, the term bucket will be used accordingly. Ordinarily, a bucket will have a flat supporting structure and two opposed spaced walls at the leading and trailing sides thereof. For packaging articles, such as paper envelopes containing quantities of powdered or granular material, it may be desirable to include within each bucket a peripheral band of cardboard or other fibrous material to contain the envelopes and to permit the transfer of the envelopes from the bucket into a cardboard carton as a group or unit. The peripheral band which is inserted into the cardboard carton with the articles will then constitute a reinforcing structure to strengthen the carton.

This invention consists generally of a new and improved mechanical arrangement for inserting a peripheral band of fibrous material into each of the successive buckets moving along a conveyer.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved arrangement whereby the bands are stacked flat one against the other in a magazine, and whereby the bands may be removed singly from one end of the stack in the magazine, expanded from the flattened state into a substantially rectilinear configuration and inserted into a bucket moving on the conveyer.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for expanding each band partially as the band is carried by a transfer member or arm from a first rest station to a second rest station and subsequently for completely expanding the band after it has been inserted into the conveyer bucket; more specifically, it is an object to provide apparatus wherein the partially expanded band, having a reduced dimension longitudinally of the conveyer, opposite ends thereof extending beyond the confines of the bucket in a direction transverse to the conveyer, and a means such as rails positioned adjacent to the conveyer to thence impinge upon the opposite corners of the band compressing the corners together and forcing the band to assume a rectilinear configuration completely enclosing the space within the bucket.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple mechanical arrangement for stripping the bands singly from the magazine and subsequently for pushing the partially expanded band into a conveyer bucket; and more particularly, a stripper member and a pusher member, both of which require similar reciprocatory motion for their respective operations, may be mounted on a single reciprocating carriage; thus affording a simplicity of design and an economy of manufacture.

A more complete understanding of the present invention, its mode of operation, and its advantages, may be gathered from further reading of this specification, together with an inspection of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the packaging machine employing the teachings of this invention and particularly showing a part of the magazine for holding flattened bands, the transfer and expansion mechanism, and a part of the conveyer for receiving the ex panded bands;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a single peripheral band of cardboard as it is expanded into a rectilinear configuration within a bucket of the conveyer;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the magazine and transfer elements shown generally in Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar enlarged vertical sections of a portion of the structure also shown in Fig. 3; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show the transfer mechanism in different positions to illustrate the operating sequence as the elements move and carry the bands from one station to another;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section along the line 7--7 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical section along the line 8-8 of Fig. 6, which line being the same as the line 6-6 but looking in the opposite direction therefrom.

In the operation of the machine of this invention, the peripheral bands 1 are folded flat and stacked one above the other in a magazine 2 which may include a pair of spaced apart end rails or guides 3 having inwardly turned flanges 4 such that the ends of the bands 1 are confined therein. The bands will move downwardly in the magazine under the influence of gravity and will rest at the bottom thereof upon a pair of spaced apart stripper members 5', Figs. 4 and 5. The stripper member reciprocates with horizontal motion transverse of the magazine -2 and contains a stepped-down forward end 6 having a recessed or depressed horizontal surface with an abutting edge 7 extending vertically a distance less than the thickness of each band. Thus, as the stripper member 5 moves to an extreme rearward position, as shown in Fig. 3, the bottom or lowermost band will drop upon the stepped forward end 6. As the stripper member 5 moves forwardly across the bottom of the magazine 2, the vertical edge 7 thereof engages and moves the lowermost band 1 horizontally and forwardly from the magazine 2 through the position shown byFig. 4 and ultimately to a rest station A, shown in Fig. 5.

A transfer member 8 is mounted rigidly to a shoe 9 positioned to slide vertically in a track 10 and contains a suction cup 11 at the upper extremity thereof, Fig. 3. The vertical transfer member 8 moves upwardly to an extreme position wherein the suction cup 11 engages a side of the flattened band 1, Figs. 3 and 6, whereupon a reduced air pressure or vacuum is applied tothe suction cup 11 to cause the band 1 to adhere thereto. The transfer member 8 thence moves downwardly pulling the band 1 therewith to a second rest station B, Fig. 4. A guide member 12 extending downwardly from the rest station A, Fig. 6, contains a diagonal surface 13 with a track 14 extending therealong. As the band 1 is drawn clown wardly by the suction cup 11, the diagonal surface 13 impinges thereupon such that the parts of the rectangular band are separated or partially expanded as the band moves from station A to station B.

From station B, a pusher member 15, having a broad flat face 16 thereon, engages the partially expanded band 1 and pushes the band from the station B into a bucket 17 on a moving conveyer chain 18, Fig. 5. The partially expanded band 1, Fig. 8, is thence moved upwardly around the end of a sprocket 19 supporting the conveyer chain 18 utimately to assume a horizontal position thereon, whereupon the bucket 17 and the band 1 therein move linearly away from the sprocket 19 for a subsequent packaging operation (not shown). As the bucket 17 moves upwardly around the endof, the. sprocket, a. stationary rail. 20 impinges against an extending corner of the band 1, Fig. 8, and converges with the band into close spaced relation with the-bucket at 21. The band lissthus forced-into a rectangular; configuration; as.shown;in Fig.v.2,jfullyoccupying'thespaceofuthe buckeb Thus, ,theperipheralzband 1, in combination; with the bucket, forms a" closed pocket into which the manufactured articles may be :inserted: and heldas the-bucket Ltravelsfor further packaging :operations tigsubsequently may be insertedinto. a; cardboard carton:

together with the-;.manufactured articles therein byrmechnismrnotz hownt Since the stripper member;5 .and;the-pusher; member. requirea;similanreciprocatory movement "for :their. respective operations; .a-"singlephorizontal ,lreciprocalcarriage ZZ may be-plidablymountediimtracksdii; .Figs;. 3; .4 and 5,. and rnay carry 130111112116 stripper.member 5.. and thetpusher.

member 15st Anupstandingzbracket"24ziszprovided for rigid attachment: withzthe stripper member 5 by. means such as a bolt 25. A further bracket 26 supports 'the pusher memberzls and;likewisesmay :beatta'chedkto the reciprocal carriage 22 by means such as a bolt 27. The

Suchcrankor cam may be .mechanically drivenfrom a main drive shaft for the machine such that the carriage 22 is reciprocated in synohronism;withr.the motion .ofthe conveyer;18 whereby a .bandhwill :be inserted in .each

bucket 17 thereon as the bucket .passes upwardly around the end sprocket 19.

The. station A;, Fig. 5, is specifically definedby a springurged guide member. 31whichcooperates with. a rounded end portion 32 fixed to the'bottom or lowermost part of the magazine 2.}. As the stripper-.memberSmoves forwardlyafrom; the magazineZ, theguide member .31 urged downwardlyby springs 33, secures the bandl against the recessed part 6 of the stripper member'S. When. the stripper member moves to an extreme forward position, Fig. 5,.a recessed part 34 of the guidemember 31 receives and retains the band 1 therein. The guide member: 31 is mountedxon a pair ofstuds 35 which'may'move upwardly against the urging of thesprings 33 and are-held by 21 stationary bracket 36.

As shown in Fig. 6, one end of the band 1 positioned in station,;A may be supported .uponia spring-urged ledge 37 pivotally mountedat-38 on a bracket 39 and held by a spring .40; When thetransfer member 8 moves downwardly to pull the band 1 from thestation A, the ledge part 37 may be depressed. somewhat, as shown by thedashed lines in Fig..6, and the. corner of the band 1 is retainedby a recessed step 41 therein. As the-band is drawndownwardly by the". transfer member or suction means 8, one end impinged. against the inclined surface 13 will gradually expand therealong. The surface 13 terminates with an ofiset or recessed part at 42. The partially expanded band will bepulled downwardly until the corner thereof passes the shoulder or recess 42.and is thereby prevented from resiliently recoiling toward its initial position. After the corner is retained by the ledge or recess 42,ythe vacuum may be cut ofi from the suction cup 11 and the transfer member 8 will continue down somewhat after becoming disengaged from the band 1, ultimately to'a positionshown in Figs. 4 and 5. Thus, the. transfer member 8 remains clear and will not transfer with the'pforward movement of the pusher member 15.

Asthe pusher member 15 moves forwardly, the partially expanded band it may be retained thereon by a fixed guide member 43',see Fig.4, and. since the band 1 is not.

wholly expanded, the pusher member'lS may thus readily insert-it intoa bucket '17 at a time just subsequent to.the

position shown inFig. 4. Becausethe band 1 is not fully expanded its dimension longitudinally ofthe conveyeris less than the dimension of the bucket 17, thus permitting positioned-in closespacedrelation to the conveyer 18 and the buckets 17 there'o'n.- should anyband'l be improper lyplaced within the respective bucket l7; it will engage Such movement may'cause operation-of a microswitcn w which the arm 45' causing pivotal movement thereof.

may be electricallycoupled tostop the machineor to sound an alarm whereby 'an attendant step" theimachine on'clea'r the-bucket of the improperlypositioned band ll I g v Changes may bemadein-the form; construetion and'arrangement of the parts without-departingfromthespifit of' the in-v'ei'ition or nstincts-g any of its "advantages; and the right is hereby 'reser'ved to makeall 'such changes-asfall fairly within the scope of the following claimsw The inventionis iclaim'edas follows:

1. in a packagingmachine having--a--conveycr -wit buckets thereon; apparatus for-inserting a 'per-ipheralband" into each bucket to hold articles to be-'pa ckaged, said ap paratu's c'ornprising amagazine for holding-a stack of the peripheral bands which are folded *fiat, a reciprocatory stripper member positionedto move in-close'spaced relation'withthe-magazine and engage andmove a single band froman endof-the'stack toa first'rest station, a suction means positioned to move int o engagement with one side of the band in the first rest stationQ-said'suction means being operable to'move and pullfthe band by 'one' side thereof'alonga predetermined pathto asecond rest station; a stationary side guide member extending fronr the 1 first station and converging diagonally inwardly upon th epath" of the band,- saidguide-memberbeiiig operable to impinge againsea corner of the band-andto expand the bandfrom its flattened state as the band movestoi'thesecond reststa' tion, and a pusher'member-positionedtoengage the' band inthesecond rest stationand to move-the band'into'abucket-ofthe conveyer.-

2. l n a packaging machine having conveyer with buckets thereon; apparatus for inserting a peripheral band into each bucket to hold articl'esto' be packaged, 'saidap-" parat'useomprising a magazine 'for 'holdin'g a stack of bandseach of which is folded fiat; a reciprocatory stripper member'positioned-to move across'the bottomof the magazine, said strippermember being-operable to engage and" move a band from the'stack in the'ma'gazine to'a first rest, station; a movable arm with a su'ctio'nmeans thereon post tioned to move into engagementiwith the bandin the first rest station; said arm with the suction means being oper able to pull the band downwardly from the first rest station along a predetermined path to. a second rest station; a stationary side guide member extending downwardly from thefirstrest station and converging diagonally inwardly" upon the path of the band, said guide'member bein'gopf enable to impinge against a corner of thebandand to partially expand the band from the flattened state ofthe magi azine asthe band moves to the second rest'station, a reciprocatory pusher member positioned to engage'and'move the band from-the second rest stationfa bucket onthe conveyer, and a stationary guide rail"positioned adjacent the conveyerand convergingi'nwardly thereupo'msaid sta tionary guide railbeing operable to impinge upon a cor ner ofthe band and tolcompletely expand the band-asthe bucketmoves with the conveyer.

into each bucket to hold the articles to be packaged, said apparatus comprising a magazine for holding a stack of bands each of which is folded flat, a reciprocatory stripper member positioned to move across the bottomof the magazine, the stack of bands resting by gravity on the stripper member, the stripper having a recessed step dimensioned to receive a single band from the stack whereby the single band will be carried forwardly to a first station as the stripper member eciprocates, a resilient guide plate positioned at the first s ,tion for bearing against the band carried by the st; i said guide plate having a recessed step for eceivmg the band from the stripper member, a suction means positioned to move into engagement with one side of the band, a stationary guide means extending downwardly from the first station, said suction means being operable to pull the band downwardly from the first station and to impinge a corner thereof against the guide means whereby the band is expanded from the flattened state, means for receiving the band. from the suction and for inserting the band into a bucket of the conveyor, and means operatively associated with the conveyer for completely expanding the band therein.

4. ln a packaging machine having a conveyer with buckets thereon, an apparatus for inserting a peripheral band into each bucket to hold articles to be packaged, said apparatus comprising a magazine for holding a stack of bands each of which is folded fiat, reciprocatory stripper member positioned to move across the bottom of the magazine, said stripper member being operative to support the stack of bands and having steppeddown end thereon, said stepped-down end being dimensioned to receive a single band from the bottom of the stack and being operative to move the band to a first station, a guide plate positioned at the first station to press downwardly against the band and against the stripper member, spring urging supporting means for resiliently supporting the guide plate, said guide plate a recessed part for receiving the band from the stripper member, a movable member with a suction cup thereon positioned to move into engagement with the band in the first station, said suction cup being connected to a source of vacuum whereby one side of the band will adhere thereto, said movable member being operable to pull the downwardly from the first station to a second station, a stationary guide extending downwardly from the first station and having a diagonal surface for impingement against a corner of the band for expansion thereof, said stationary guide having a shoulder for retaining a corner of the band in the second station, a pivotal mounted ledge member having a part engageable with a second corner of the band for retention thereof, a reciprocatery pusher member positioned to move into engagement with the band at the second station and cperabic t push the band into a bucket on the conveyer, and a d onai side rail positioned adjacent to the conveyer for impinging against a corner of the band for complete expansion thereof.

5. ln packaging machine having a conveyer with buckets thereon, apparatus for inserting a peripheral band into each bucket to hold articles to be packaged, said apparatus comprising a magazine for holding stack of bands each of which is foldsd fiat therein, a reciprocal ca d-a e positioned to move horizontaily beneath the magie, a stripper member fixed to the reciprocal carriage and positioned to support the stack of bands in the mag zine, said stripper member being operable to engage and move a single band from the bottom of the stack to a first rest station, a transfer member mounted to move vertically and having a suction cup thereon, said transfer member being operable to carry the suction cup into engags-meat with the band in the first station and thence to carry the suction cup with the band adhered thereto downwardly to a second station, a stationary guide member exending downwardly from the first station and having a diagonal surface positioned to impinge upon a corner of the band to cause expansion thereof, a pusher member fixed to the carriage and positioned to engage and move the band from the second station into a bucket on the conveyer, and a diagonal rail positioned adjacently to the conveyer for further impinging upon the corner of the band to complete the expansion thereof.

6. In a packaging machine having a conveyer with buckets thereon moving upwardly about an end supporting sprocket, apparatus for inserting a peripheral band into each bucket to hold the articles to be packaged, said apparatus comprising a magazine for holding a stack of bands each of which is folded flat therein, a stripper member mounted to move horizontally across the bottom of the magazine and positioned to support the stack of bands therein, said stripper member having a stepped end dimensioned to receive a single band from the bottom of the stack and operable to carry the band forwardly to a rest station, a transfer member mounted to move vertically and having a suction cup thereon, said transfer member being operative to move the suction cup upwardly into engagement with a side of the band positioned in the first station, and being further operable to pull the band downwardly along a predetermined path to a second station, a stationary guide member extending downwardly from the first station and having a diagonal surface thereon for impinging against a corner of the band and for partially expanding the band, a pusher member mounted to move horizontally and positioned to engage the band at the second rest station and to push the band into a bucket which is moving upwardly around the sprocket of the conveyer, and a stationary guide rail positioned adjacent to the conveyer and around the end sprocket thereof for impinging against a corner of the band for completely expanding said band within the bucket.

7. In a packaging machine having a conveyer with buckets thereon movable upwardly around an end supporting sprocket, apparatus for inserting a peripheral band into each bucket to hold the articles to be packaged, said apparatus comprising a magazine for holding a stack of bands each of which is folded fiat, a reciprocatory carriage mounted to move horizontally, a stripper member attached to the carriage and positioned to move across the bottom of the magazine, said stripper member being operative to support the stack of bands in the magazine and having a stepped end thereon dimensioned to receive a single band therein, said stripper member being operable to move the band forwardly from the bottom of the magazine to a first rest station, a guide plate positioned over the first rest station, spring supporting means resiliently holding the guide plate whereby the guide plate is pressed downwardly against the band and against the stripper member, said guide plate having a recessed part thereon for receiving the band from the stripper member, a transfer member mounted to move vertically and having a suction cup attached thereto, said. transfer member being positioned to move upwardly whereupon the suction cup will engage a side of the band in the first rest station, said transfer member and said suction cup being operable to move downwardly pulling the band therewith to a second rest station, a stationary guide member extending downwardly from the first rest station and having a diagonal surface for impinging against against a corner band and for expanding the band thereon, said guide member having a shoulder thereon for receiving and retaining the band in the second rest station, a pusher member attached to the carriage and positioned to move into engagement with the band in the second rest station and to push the band into a bucket moving upwardly around the end sprocket of the conveyer, and a guide rail positioned adjacent to the bucket around the end of the conveyer for impinging upon a corner of the band and for completely expanding the band within the bucket as the conveyer moves upwardly around the end supporting structure.

No references cited. 

